Picked up a trick from an old timer at a hammer-in last weekend

Guy next to me was quenching in warm oil. Not hot, just warm. Said it reduces shock on thin blades. Tried it on a kitchen knife I was forging. No cracks. Usually I have one or two with thin edges. Anyone else use warm quench oil?

2 comments

2 Comments

drew_grant5211d ago

Warm quench oil? Man, I’m still out here using canola oil I heated up on the stove and hoping for the best. My blades crack more often than my phone screen.

victor_butler5010d agoMost Upvoted

I read somewhere that warm oil is actually more about keeping the temp steady than just being hot, you know. It slows down the quench a touch so the steel has time to relax instead of shocking itself into cracking. Might be worth trying a cheap toaster oven or a hot plate to keep the canola at 120-130F, it saved me a lot of ruined blades.